Whitehall reveals property strategy

Whitehall revealed plans today for a new property strategy for its estate.

The Government’s High Performing Property initiative aims to save between £1bn and £1.5bn across the estate over the next six years.

The estate, which costs £6bn a year to run, is being reviewed and plans include rationalising the portfolio and offloading property that is not essential.

Last month the government agreed an action plan that includes: ‘Cross government collaboration and data sharing on the way that Government occupied buildings are managed’; and ‘focus on improving space utilisation as a key source of significant efficiency gains’.

High Performing Property was launched by the chief secretary to the Treasury last November. It is a five year strategy and implementation plan for improving the management and use of the Government’s office estate which OGC is tasked with overseeing.

Sir Michael Lyons said: ‘I am very encouraged with the progress being made by the OGC to deliver stronger central management of the Government civil estate.’